Will the board of pharmacy discipline a pharmacy intern who administers vaccines without training at the request of a licensed pharmacist?

When considering the administration of vaccines by pharmacy interns, it's important to recognize the regulatory framework surrounding pharmacy practice. In many jurisdictions, including Indiana, pharmacy interns are only authorized to perform certain tasks under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. However, administering vaccines typically requires specific training and regulatory authorization due to the potential risks involved.

In this scenario, if a pharmacy intern administers vaccines without proper training and authorization, they are engaging in an act that could be seen as practicing outside the boundaries of their scope of training and authority. The licensed pharmacist, while responsible for overseeing the intern, may face disciplinary action if it is found that they did not ensure that the intern had the appropriate training or authority to administer vaccines. This reflects the pharmacist's duty to supervise and ensure the competence of the intern.

In this case, the board of pharmacy is likely to focus on the intern's lack of training and certification for vaccine administration, which could lead to discipline against the intern. However, the possibility of the pharmacist also facing consequences cannot be overlooked, as they are responsible for the intern's actions. Therefore, the emphasis tends to be on the intern's responsibility regarding training and compliance.

This leads to the reasoning that only the pharmacist might be subject to discipline if the intern lacked proper